Got Food? - the Scientia Review

Aquaculture is composed of four distinct stages. The process begins with hatchery, which is the
production of seeds, eggs, and young fish that are used to stock growing facilities. Seeds are used for the
cultivation of aquatic plants, and eggs are used for the breeding of fish, crustaceans, or mollusks. Both
seeds and eggs are either captured from their natural environment or produced from broodstock, which
are adult specimens kept alive for the purpose of reproduction (Parker, 2002).
The young organisms produced in hatchery are then transported to the previously mentioned
growing facilities, where they are allowed to fully mature into adult specimens in a process known as
grow-out. This process can either be an intensive program, in which a very dense, highly maintained,
population is maintained in a small space, or an extensive program, in which a lower population density is
maintained with less micro-management. Intensive programs often take place in cages, tanks or ponds,
and extensive programs often take place in lakes or unrestricted areas of the ocean (Parker 2002).
The Aquaculture Processes of Cobia Production
Hatchery
Grow-out
Harvesting
Marketing
Farming of cobia begins with the collection and hatchery of eggs. After the eggs have grown into young
fish, they are transported to a growing facility in which they mature into adults. Once the maturation
process has finished, the fish are harvested and then marketed worldwide.
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